Agriculture

New floodplain regs approved by Morgan County commissioners

Wiggins approves similar changes

By Dan Barker

Times News Editor

Posted:
01/24/2014 10:19:19 AM MST

Under new state regulations, those who want to build inside of a floodplain must elevate their structures at least two feet above the above the base flood elevation in that area or make the structures flood proof.

Local governments were required to adopt new policies that would include that information and other requirements in January.

The Board of Morgan County Commissioners approved a resolution making changes to county floodplain regulations during a public hearing Tuesday, and the Wiggins Board of Trustees approved a new ordinance for the same reason last week.

This is a mandate from the Colorado Water Conservation Board, and it sets a higher standard for floodplain construction, said Planning and Zoning Administrator John Crosthwait.

This kind of regulation also puts the county into compliance with national flood insurance requirements, he said.

However, Morgan County's regulations did not have to be changed much, Crosthwait said. They already contained the two-foot requirement, for instance.

Under state regulations, the county could not authorize applications for construction until the new regulations were adopted, he said.

These new regulations are not in response to the flooding in September, since this has been in process for years.

The new regulations are meant to minimize the impact of periodic floods, the county resolution says.

It also says that flood losses are created by the "occupancy of flood hazard areas by uses vulnerable to floods and by structures that are inadequately elevated, flood-proofed or otherwise protected from flood damage."

The resolution says new construction or substantial improvements to structures must have the lowest floor, including a basement, be elevated two feet above the flood elevation, or be flood-proofed so that the lower part of the structure is water tight with walls impermeable to the passage water.

Designs must be certified by a registered professional engineer as meeting the new requirements.